Processed cheese package



Jan. 18, 1966 s. E. ALBERTUS PROCESSED CHEESE PACKAGE Filed July 13, 1962 II IIII'IIIIIWKaIII INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5'.

United States Patent PROCESSED CHEESE PACKAGE Svend Eric Albertus, 6 Stigaardsvej, Hellerup, Copenhagen, Denmark Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,530 Claims priority, application Germany, July 19, 1961, A 16,982 4 Claims. (Cl. 99-178) The present invention relates to a package for processed cheese.

It is one purpose of the invention to provide a novel and attractive cup-shaped package for processed cheese.

It is a further purpose of the invention to provide a cupshaped package for processed cheese which is easy to open.

It is a further purpose of the invention to provide a cupshaped package for processed cheese which can be tightly closed and thereby will provide for improved durability of the contents.

Still a further purpose of the invention is to provide a cup-shaped package for processed cheese which has a cover that engages a substantial surface area of the cupshaped member.

Still a further purpose of the invention is to provide a cup-shaped package for processed cheese having a closure member which is air-tight sealed to the cup-shaped member.

Further purposes and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a package according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through a package according to the invention in one embodiment,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through a, package according to the invention in a second embodiment, and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section through a package according to the invention in a third embodiment.

The novel cup-shaped package illustrated in FIGURE 1 is designed for processed cheese for display and sale thereof in minor quantities or portions such as a few ounces.

The package comprises a plastic cup, generally referred to by 10, which at the edge of its open side is provided with a radially extending flange, referred to by 12 in FIG- URES 2, 3, and 4. The open side of the cup is closed by means of a foil which extends over the periphery of the flange 12 and on the underside of the flange is deformed so as to grip over the flange and engage the exterior surface of the cup along a zone adjacent the flange, such as indicated at 18.

As shown in FIGURE 2, a sealing member such as a compound washer or ring 22 may be provided between the top surface of the flange 12 and the underside of the cover 14.

An important feature of the invention resides in the combination of the flange 12 with the foil closure 14 in such a way that the foil is deformed so as to engage the top side of the flange as well as the underside thereof. This effectively provides an extended path of closure in the radial direction which surprisingly contributes to preservation of the contents of the package over a substantial period. It has been found that cheese in a package according to the invention is better preserved than cheese in a package without a flange when shipped and stored under equal conditions, even, when the sealing ring between the flange 12 and the cover 14 is omitted.

In addition, the structure provides for the possibility of using a relatively thin foil for the cover member, such as & inch or even thinner. This not only results in a saving of material and weight in the package itself, but it also results in an improved closing of the package, be-

3,230,093 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 ice cause the thinner the foil is, the easier is the deformation and thereby the engagement between the foil and both sides of the flange. In addition, the use of a very thin foil facilitates the opening of the package in comparison with the traditional cheese package in the form of a corrugated foil cup which is closed by a foil cover that is secured by pressing under simultaneous slight deforming of the edge of the foil cup in outward direction.

The foil cover for the package according to the invention is preferably made from a prestamped blank which is provided with a centrally disposed depressed portion as indicated at 16 in FIGURE 2, and which substantially corresponds in shape and size to the cup opening to fit therein below the flange, so as to correctly center the cover relatively to the cup. Simultaneously with forming the depression 16, the periphery of the foil cover may be slightly deformed to condition the cover for the deformation. Preferably the deformation and application of the cover on the cup are effectuated by means of a technique frequently referred to by those skilled in the art as the spinning method which includes rotating the cup and pressing a rotatably supported pinion-like member into engagement with the peripheral zone of the cover foil until the deformation has been completed to the stage clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1.

It will be appreciated that also the deformed zone effectively provides a weak zone in the foil which highly facilitates the tearing off of the cover.

In the case of a thin foil, such as inch, and with the deformed zone 18 being for example /8 inch wide, it is possible to open the package without any tools or without using any kitchen utensils such as forks or knives, merely by gripping the edge of the deformed zone 18 and pulling in a peripheral direction, because the deformation of the foil over the edge of the flange 12 will effectively provide a weakening line along the periphery of the flange along which the foil will be torn.

Though it is not necessary, the foil is preferably provided with a finger grip 20, as shown in the drawing. which facilitates the gripping and the opening.

It will be appreciated that in contradiction to the traditional application of foil covers to cup-shaped cheese packages under pressure by means of a stamping machine, the structure according to the invention and the use of the so-called spinning method provide for the use of such a finger grip.

It will also be obvious that the combination of the use of a very thin foil and the spinning method for applying the cover effectively reduces the mechanical stresses on the cup involved in applying the cover and thereby provides for using a cup having relatively thin walls which also contributes to reducing weight and cutting material costs.

The sealing washer or ring 22 of FIGURE 2 may as mentioned hereinbefore be a compound ring, but may within the scope of the invention be of any other suitable material.

Instead of using a loose sealing ring, such as shown in FIGURE 2, a foil material, such as shown in FIGURE 3, may be used, which on the side facing the cup cavity is provided with a coating 24 by means of which the sealing can be effectively provided.

In FIGURE 3 as well as in FIGURE 4 the cover is for the sake of clarity shown slightly spaced from the cup flange, but it will be obvious that when the package is actually used, the flange is in close engagement with the cover.

The coating of FIGURE 3 may be of any commercially available type which is capable of adhering to the cup flange either at room temperature, at the temperature at which the cheese is filled into the cup, or at elevated tem- *perature.

The coating 24 must be non-toxic, odourless, and nonmiscible as well as inert to the cheese. Metal foils having a coating with such physical properties are commercially obtainable on the world market from various suppliers. Though the composition of such coatings is not known to the public, the physical properties specified here are believed to be suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to obtain such coated material from a manufacturer of such foil material selected among those who are suppliers to the-cheese packing industry.

It will be obvious that in the case of use of a coated foil which is capable of adhering to the flange at room temperature, the package will be immediately sealed when the cover is closed.

It will also be obvious that in the case of a foil coated with a material which is capable of adhering to the Cup flange at elevated temperature, for example about 120 R, which is the approximate temperature at which the cheese is filled into the cup, the sealing will be automatically' provided in response to the filling.

It will be understood that it is also possible within the scope of 'the invention to use a heat-sealable coating of the cover foil which will require passing of the filled and closed cups through a zone in which at least the covers are subjected to heating, for example from heating lamps orthe like.

Inthe embodiment of FIGURE 4 a coating 26 is shown on the top side of the cup flange 12. Also this coating may be in the form of a layer capable of adhering to the cover foil either at room temperature or at elevated temperature. By way of example the coating 26 of FIGURE 4 may be in the form of a layer of a suitable wax, such as paraffin wax, which has a sufliciently low softening point so as to enable the sealing to be eifectuated in response to the temperature of the cheese.

It will be understood that it is possible within the scope of the invention to use any suitable plastic material for the cup itself such as polystyrol, polyvinylchloride or any other plastic materials which fulfil the Board of Health requirements for packing materials used in the food industry. As material for the foil cover a light-weight material'such as a suitable aluminum alloy is preferable.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described hereinbefore, and that further modifications will be possible within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A package in the form of a cup-shaped member having a closure member comprising a plastic cup filled with perishable food and having a radially extending flange at the periphery of the edge of its open side, and a closure member in the form of a thin metal foil extending in airtight contact over the entire outer surfaces of said flange and being deformed into close engagement with the exterior surface of said cup along a zone adjacent and below said edge and extending downwardly along the side of said cup, said foil having a centrally disposed, depressed portion substantially corresponding to the cup opening to fit therein below said flange.

2. A package as defined in claim 1, wherein said portion of said closure member in engagement with said zone is provided with a weakened portion to facilitate the tearing thereof.

3. A package comprising in combination-a plastic cupshaped member filled with cheese and having a radially extending flange at the periphery of the edge of its open side, non-toxic annular sealing means non-miscible with and inert to said cheese, a closure member sealing said open side being in the form of a metallic foil blank pressed into air-tight contact with at least two entire surfaces of said flange and at least one entire surface of said sealing means and extending downwardly along the side of said cup into engagement with a zone of the exterior surface of said cup-shaped member below said flange, said sealing means being interposed between said flange and the corresponding annular zone of said closure member at the side thereof which faces said cup cavity.

4. A package as claimed in claim 3, in which said sealing means is a sealing ring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,448 8/ 1900 Maconochie 206-56 1,029,450 6/ 1912 Krnka 215-39 1,306,809 6/1919 Graham 220-67 1,431,871 10/1922 Burnet 215-37 1,845,754 2/1932 Kiyota 215-39 2,096,428 10/1937 Hogg et al. 215-39 2,154,349 4/ 1939 OBrien 226-67 X 2,454,674 11/ 1948 Schrader 215-39 2,487,400 11/1949 Tupper 99-178 2,614,727 10/1952 Robinson 99-178 3,070,446 12/1962 Seiferth et al. 99-178 X FOREIGN PATENTS 810,133 3/1959 Great Britain.

A. LOUIS MONACELL, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM H. WINKELSTEIN, RAYMOND N.

JONES, Examiners. 

1. A PACKAGE IN THE FORM OF A CUP-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A CLOSURE MEMBER COMPRISING A PLASTIC CUP FILLED WITH PERISHABLE FOOD AND HAVING A RADIALLY EXTENDING FLANGE AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE EDGE OF ITS OPEN SIDE, AND A CLOSURE MEMBER IN THE FORM OF A THIN METAL FOIL EXTENDING IN AIRTIGHT CONTACT OVER THE ENTIRE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID FLANGE AND BEING DEFORMED INTO CLOSE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID CUP ALONG A ZONE ADJACENT AND BELOW 